corporate affairs [Niall Horan AU]

S I X T E E N

"Calinda!" I shreak, swatting her with my hand and pretending to be abhorred. Then I shrug, feeling a sudden urge of cheekiness overcome me. "I would say it's not true, but it is." My face burns but I don't care. Calinda of all people should know how happy I've been. 

"I take it things are heating up then? Finally took my advice and bedded the man." She laughs, tapping me on the nose. "I'm proud of you, love." 

"Well, it sort've happened after the Met Gala, and we've been like rabbits ever since." 

"The Met Gala?" Calinda sputters, choking on her wine and wiping her mouth. "You waited that long to tell me?" 

I pat her back as she regains composure before I answer. "Well, I've a horrid habit of jinxing myself, and I couldn't risk it. I really like this one, Calinda."  Her face softens immediately and she wraps her long arms around me, letting me lean against her shoulder as I dwell on how bad this could be for me. "Am I absolutely screwing this all up?" I ask her quietly, begging for reassurance.

"No," she shakes her head vehemently, allowing me to sit upright again and face her. "Loving someone is never messing anything up."

"I didn't say love--"

"You didn't have to," she replies, interupting me. "And even though he isn't very forthcoming with his emotions, I remember the look in his eyes when you walked down in your dress that night... he really cares for you, E." 

"Yes," I acknowledge, nodding my head. "But is it enough?" And not just for him, but for me as well. Are his--however flattering and gracious--feeling enough for me, even though I know that they are not bountiful and are bound to be used up at some point. Is it bad that I can see the end, even in the beginning? 

***

"Weezy," Niall teases, drawing me out of my reverie. This is his new nickname for me. Weezy, partially because it was the latter half of my name and also because he had discovered my secret love for Lil Wayne. We'd been laying in bed after the New York Business Expo (very boring, very long), listening to my iPod when one of the Lil Wayne albums had come on, making Niall laugh exuberantly. 

"Don't call me that," I reply, shoving another sashimi roll in my mouth. "Yes?" I ask, blinking widely up at him. 

"I just asked you your opinion on going away this weekend." He states, chewing his food slowly before swallowing. He gazes at his plate for a long time before flicking his ocean eyes towards my blushing face.

"J-Just the two of us?" I gulp.

"Yes." He says evenly. His voice is just a little too measured, a little too careful and I know, for some odd reason, that he is nervous. "What do you think? I have a house in Kings Point that I haven't been to all summer."

"Kings Point?" I question, all small little grin tugging the corners of mouth. "Nick and Gatsby's side of the island?" I suck on my bottom lip and smile at my plate of sushi. It's moments like these when I can't help but feel a little too touched by Niall's thoughtfulness. He was always finding away to prove that he knew random, unimportant facts about me.

"I told you I'm a fan of the book too."

"No," I correct, meeting his amused eyes, "you told me you think Gatsby's too weak."

He laughs as he places his chopsticks on his plate, reaching one slender hand out to rub my own cool palm. "Seriously, El, let's go out. These last three weeks have been full of media and craziness. Let's take a break." I think about this seriously. A weekend alone with Niall means unrestricted conversation and privacy, it will certainly provide us a chance to figure out what the hell is going on between us.